Method for the cost-effective delivery of medical services pursuant to a procedure-based manual

Abstract

A method and a health care system utilizing the method for providing treatment to a patient including healthcare services which includes obtaining and recording data from the patient relating to background data, such as demographics, insurance information and medical history; staging and diagnosing the patient's ailment; obtaining and recording data relating to the patient's quality of life and economics; obtaining a range of preferred treatments based upon the staging, quality of life and economic data; and providing treatment to the patient. After treatment, second quality of life and economic data are obtained, recorded, and utilized to amend the range of preferred treatments to maximize the second quality of life and economic factors. In an alternative embodiment, the method and system include means for timing the delivery of treatment and for conditioning payment to the healthcare provider upon completion of the treatment within prescribed time periods.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for providing treatment to a patient having an aliment, said method including the recordation of patient data and payment to a treating physician, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a means for recording said patient data within a treating physician's facility;    providing a central processing means located separate from said recording means;    providing a means for communicating said patient data from said facility to said central processing means;    acquiring first quality of life and economic data relating to said patient;    recording said first quality of life and economic data using said recording means;    receiving a range of treatments;    treating said patient after said step of recording said first quality of life and said economic data;    acquiring second quality of life and economic data relating to said patient after said step of treating said patient; and    adjusting said range of treatments by utilizing said quality of life and said economic data to maximize said patient's quality of life and economic conditions after treatment.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of: 
 obtaining background information about said patient including demographics and a diagnosis of said patient's ailment;  
 classifying said patient's ailment utilizing a standardized classification system;  
 staging said patient's ailment utilizing a standardized staging system;  
 acquiring physics, dosimetry and prescription data about said patient;  
 recording said classification and said staging information; and  
 recording said physics, dosimetry and prescription information.  
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said step of obtaining said background information and said step of staging said patient's ailment both occur prior to said step of acquiring said first quality of life and economic data.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of: 
 obtaining a range of preferred treatments for treating said patient from a procedure based manual, said step of obtaining said range of preferred treatments occurring after said step of acquiring said first quality of life and economic data and before said step of acquiring said second quality of life and economic data.  
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said step of treating said patient utilizes a treatment plan within said range of preferred treatments for treating said patient from said procedure based manual.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising the steps of: 
 obtaining a time period for completing said treatment plan from said procedure based manual prior to said step of treating said patient; and  
 wherein said step of making payment to said physician for providing said treatment occurs only if said treatment is completed within said prescribed time period.  
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said step of treating said patient utilizes a treatment plan not within said range of preferred treatments for treating said patient from said procedure based manual.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of obtaining and recording physical outcome information after said step of treating said patient.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising the steps of: 
 obtaining a range of preferred treatments for treating said patient from a procedure based manual, said step of obtaining said range of preferred treatments occurring after said step of acquiring said first quality of life and economic data and before said step of acquiring said second quality of life and economic data.  
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of modifying said procedure based manual utilizing said first and said second quality of life and economic data and said physical outcome information to optimize the quality said second quality of life and economic data.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising the step of obtaining and recording physical outcome information after said step of said patient.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the steps of: 
 obtaining a range of preferred treatments for treating said patient from a procedure based manual, said step of obtaining said range of preferred treatments occurring after said step of acquiring said first quality of life and economic data and before said step of acquiring said second quality of life and economic data.  
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of modifying said procedure based manual utilizing said first and said second quality of life and economic data and said physical outcome information to optimize the quality of said second quality of life and economic data.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising the steps of: 
 submitting said treatment not within said range of preferred treatments for review by a review board;  
 reviewing initially said treatment not within said range or treatments; and  
 deciding whether to approve said treating physician's decision to utilize said treatment not within said range of preferred treatments and to make payment to said physician therefor.  
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising the step of providing a secondary review procedure for reviewing said step of deciding whether to approve said treatment not within said range.  
     
     
         16 . A system for providing healthcare to a patient undergoing a treatment selected from a range of treatments, comprising: 
 a local processing means for recording patient data within a treating physician's facility;    a central processing means located separate from said local processing means;    means for communicating said patient data from said local processing means to said central processing means;    means for recording first quality of life and economic data relating to said patient;    means for recording second quality of life and economic data relating to said patient; and    means for reviewing said first and second quality of life and economic data and adjusting said range of treatments by utilizing said first and second quality of life and said economic data to maximize said patient's quality of life and economic conditions after treatment.    
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  further comprising: 
 means for recording physics, dosimetry and prescription information relating to said patient;  
 means for recording ailment staging information; and  
 means for recording ailment classification information.  
 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  further comprising a procedure based manual for providing a range of preferred treatments for treating said patient.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  further comprising means for determining whether said treatment from said procedure based manual has been completed within a predetermined amount of time.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of making payment to said physician for providing treatment upon completion of said first and said second steps of acquiring said quality of life and economic data.